HB 675, currently before the NH state Legislature, caps all school district budgets at 2026 levels, with inflation-based adjustments only.
To what end? HB 675 removes power from local control, depriving us of the means to improve and adapt our schools to circumstances, undermining local decision-making based in local needs and intention. This takes power not only from our school boards; it takes it from us, the voters, who, until now, have had the final say. I do not wish to lose my say.
HB 675 weakens our ability to serve our children, making inequalities between school districts permanent. It will disadvantage children in less-affluent districts than in places where higher property values have enabled education spending and programming at relatively higher levels, building still greater community strength and wealth. I wish to put our children first. Our Legislature continues to cut the corporate tax rate and has repealed taxes on interest and dividends, placing more demand on our property taxes. The NH Fiscal Policy Institute estimates that since 2015, these progressive taxes have lost between $795,000 and $1.17 billion in revenue, while regressive property taxes increased by $1.2 billion.
People are tired of these increases, and so have become distrustful of school budget increases. Rather than capping school budgets and thus capping our children’s potential, I believe that corporations and the wealthy should also pay their fair share. Please, stand up for local control of our schools. Urge your state representatives to reject HB 675.
Elizabeth Moch Webster
Jaffrey